Computing attachment for dispensing-pumps.



No. 747,296. I v PATENTED DEC. 15, 1903.

. A. A. BOWSER. COMPUTING ATTACHMENT FOR DISPENSING PUMPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Nrrnn Starts Iatented December 15 1903.

ATFNT rrrcn.

ALLEN A. BOWSER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO S. F. BOWSER AND COMPANY, INCORPORATED, RATION OF INDIANA.

OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, A CORPO- COWlPUTlNG ATTACHMENT FOR DlSPENSlNG -PUMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,296, dated December 15, 1903.

Application filed January 3, 1902. Serial No. 88,352. (No model.) i

T (1% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLEN A. Bowsnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful. Oomputing Attachment for Dispensing-Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to computing attachments for dispensing-pumps.

The object of the invention is to provide a computing-scale attachment for dispensing pumps which is efficient in operation and simple in construction and wherein the cost of any desired quantity of material dispensed by the pump may be quickly revealed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a computing attachment for dispensingpumps wherein the cost of fractional portions of the material dispensed by the pump may be readily indicated for difiering values of such material.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists,substantially,in the construction, combination, location, and arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims. 1

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon, Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of a computing-scale attachment for dispensing-pumps, showing the application thereof to a dispensing-pump. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a view in central longitudinal section of a computing-scale attachment embodying the principles of my invention. Figs. 4 and 5 are front views of measuring or computing strips employed in connection with my invention and showing the operation with material of differing prices.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

Reference-sign A designates a pump-head having the usual discharge-nozzle B and a pump-rod O. The pump may be operated in any suitable or convenient manner-as, for instance, by means of a crank-handle D and a rack or otherwise, as shown in Fig. 1. These parts may be of the usual or any wellknown type or construction of dispensingpump and in the specific details thereof form no part of my present invention.

Reference sign E designates a casing adapted to be attached to and supported upon the pump-head in any convenient manner and arranged to extend below said head and adjacent to the pump-rod O and in convenient position relatively thereto for a finger or pointer F, carried by the pump-rod to operate in or in juxtaposition with respect to said casing. The casing comprises a front plate and a chamber G. Arranged to be received in the chamber G are a series. of independent price-strips H. If desired, the front wall J of chamber G may be of glass or other transparent material to disclose the face of the price-strip contained in chamber G and which is presented thereto, as indicated in Fig. l, the strip contained within the chamber Gr and which is disclosed through the front glass panel J thereof resting at its lower end upon the bottom of said chamber. The zero mark of said strip is hidden from View, it being supposed that the head of pointer F will be arrested in the extreme downward limit of its movement at a point coinciding with the zero mark of y the scale-strip. If desired, and as shown, the finger or pointer F is arranged to extend To this end a space (indicated at K) may be provided between the front plate of the casing and the chamber G, and the finger or pointer F is arranged to extend laterally into this space and to play or move therein as the 0 pump-rod O is operated. A separate pricestrip H is employed for each price at which the material dispensed by the pump is to be sold. For instance, if the material to be dispensed is to be sold at eleven cents per gal- 95 lon then a price-strip H is employed with the front face thereof presented toward the glass front of casing G, and which face of said transversely across the front of chamber G.

price-strip is divided into eleven equal divisions, with two series of numerals arranged -to designate the various divisions of said strip, the numbers in one'series reading from 11 to 0 from the lower end to the upper'end of the strip and the other series of numerals reading from O to 11 from the upper to the lower end of said strip. Therefore with the pointer or finger F in its normal or lowermost position it will be readily seen that if a purchaser desires, say, six cents worth of the material dispensed by the pump the operator actuates the pump-handle D until the pointer F rises to a position corresponding with the number 6 in the series of numerals reading from 11 to 0 from top to bottom of the strip. On the other hand, if a purchaser brings a vessel and asks that it be filled with the material to be dispensed the operator actuates the dispensing-pump different selling price per gallon, for instance,

or for any other standard of measurement of the material dispensed. A scale-strip H is v provided for each selling price per gallon or other standard of measurement, the several strips being of equal length, and each stripI being divided'or graduated into as many divisions as there are aliquot parts or units in the selling price. For instance, a strip wheref the selling price is eleven cents per gallon is; divided into eleven equaldivisions. The strip for the selling price of thirteen cents per gallon is divided for the same length of strip as before into thirteen equal parts, as shown in Fig. 5, and so on for other prices. A series of these strips are placed in the chamber G, said chamber being of sufficient dimensions to accommodate a series of such strips, and as the selling price of the material to be dispensed by the pump varies the particular graduated scale or strip corresponding to the sell ing price is selected and placed in front of the series of strips and with the graduations thereon disclosed through the glass or other transparent front J of the chamber G.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and efficient computing-scale attachment for dispensing-pu mps wherein the purchaser secures r the exact quantity paid for by him and the seller secures exact pay for the quantity of material sold. It will also be seen that the scales may be readily and quickly changed to correspond to any desired variation in the selling price of the material. It will also be seen that the computations are plain and simple and can be readily distinguished by even the most unskilled operator without special effort.

If desired, the front plate E of the computing attachment may be ornamented in any suitable manner to give a finished or ornamental appearance by arranging the casing E to extend below the pump-head and adjacent to the pump-rod. The scale attachment is placed out of the way, although plainly in view, and the pump with the scale attachrnent may be used at any point or in any situation or'in any space large enough to receive the pump-that is, the danger of accidentally knocking ofi the scale attachment is avoided, and special provision of space to accommodate the scale attachment is also avoided, thereby making an exceedingly simple construction which is compact in the mechanism thereof, economical in the construction thereof, and simple in its operation.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a construction embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a dispensingpump includingapump-head,apump-rod and means for actuating the latter, of a computing-scaie attachment arranged to extend below said head and adjacent to the pump-rod, and comprising a casing, a series of independent, interchangeable computing scales or strips of equal length adapted to be received within said casing and each scale or strip being divided into equal scale-divisions corresponding to a particular price at which the material dispensed by the pump is to be sold,

and a finger or pointer connected to the pumprod and operating over said scale attachment, whereby the exact price of material necessary to fill a given receptacle, or the exact quantity corresponding to a given price may be quickly ascertained, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a dispensingpump including a pump-head,a pump-rod and means for actuating the latter, of a computing-scale attachment arranged to extend below said pump-head, and adjacent to said pump-rod and comprising a casing having a chamber, a series ofinterchangeable independent price-strips adapted to be received in said chamber, each strip corresponding to a particular selling price for the material to be dispensed, and each strip divided into as many equal'divisions as there are units in the selling price represented thereby, said divisions bearing numbers arranged in two series, one series reading from zero downward from top to bottom of said strip and the other series reading from zero upward from the bottom to the top of said strip, and a finger or pointer associated with said pump-rod and operating over said scale attachment, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with a dispensingpump including a pump -head, and a pumprod and means for actuating the latter, of a computing-scale attachment supported upon said head and extending below the same and IIO adjacent to said pump-rod, and comprising a front plate, a chamber or casing connected thereto but offset therefrom and adapted to receive a series of independent interchangeable price or scale strips corresponding to the various selling prices per standard or unit of measure and suitably graduated, each strip being divided into as many equal divisions as there are units in the selling price indicated thereby, and a pointer associated with said pump-rod and operating between said front plate and casing, whereby the too act amount to be dispensed by the pump for a given price, or the exact price of the material required to fill a given receptacle may be readily and quickly determined, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination with a dispensingpump including a pump-head, and rod and means for actuating the latter, of a computing-scale attachment supported upon said head and extending below the same and adjacent to said pump-rod, and comprising a front plate, a chamber or casing connected thereto and adapted to receive a series of independent interchangeable graduated-strips, as specified, and a glass or other transparent plate formingthe front wall of said chamber or-casing, and through which is disclosed the graduated strip contained in said chamber or casing lying neXt adjacent to said plate, and a pointer associated with said pump-rod and operating over the face of said chamber or casing, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with a dispensingpump including a pump-head, and a rod and means for actuating the latter, of a computing-scale attachment supported upon said head and extending below the same and adjacent to said pump-rod, and comprising a chamber or casing adapted to receive aseries of independent interchangeable scale-strips of equal length and corresponding to differing selling prices for the material to be dispensed, each scale-strip divided into as many equal parts as there are units in the selling price corresponding thereto, each part being numbered with two rows of numbers, one row reading from top to bottom and the other reading from bottom to top of said strip, a transparent front plate for said casing or chamber, and a pointer carried by the pumprod and operating over said transparent front plate, whereby the exact amount to be dispensed by the pump for a given price, or the exact price of the material required to fill a given receptacle may be readily and quickly determined, as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 27th day of December, 1901,, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

ALLEN A. BOWSER.

Witnesses:

HARRY O. STOPHER, E. D. EGGIMANN. 

